Branding can sometimes feel like a scary, corporate buzzword, but we promise it doesn’t have to be complicated!

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With this challenge, we are stripping away the jargon and getting back to the heart of why you started your shop in the first place.

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We’ve created a fun, "fill-in-the-blanks" style exercise to help you effortlessly nail down your purpose, vision and values. If you've been selling for years or just opened your digital doors, this challenge is the perfect way to clarify your message so you can start connecting with customers who love what you stand for.

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In future challenges we will address brand personality, pillars and voice.

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Why do this challenge?

To put our workshop learnings into action — and to get crystal-clear on the foundation of your business so that you can find new customers who resonate with you, create relevant social media content, etc.

It can be hard to make the time to focus on these aspects of your business, but a good brand foundation can actually lead to more opportunities for your shop!

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The details

Begins: March 1

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Ends: March 31

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Challenges are self-led. I encourage you to post about your progress in the comments and cheer each other on!

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What do I need to do?

Fill in the following statements:

I started [shop name] because __________. I hope my shop will __________. I believe that __________. I would like people to think my shop is __________.

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Here it is step by step:
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I started [shop name] because __________. (Ask yourself: Why does my shop exist? What is my purpose or my "why?" What gets me out of bed to do this, or spending my free time doing this, etc.? This is your brand purpose.)

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I hope my shop will __________. (Ask yourself: What do I aim to achieve with my shop? What do I hope it does for customers? What's my big vision? This is your brand vision.)

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I believe that __________. (Ask yourself: What do I believe in or stand for? What guides me in my day-to-day life? These are your brand values.)

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I would like people to think my shop is __________. (Ask yourself: How do I want to be perceived by customers? What would I like them to say about my shop? These are also part of your brand values.)

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If you don't yet know the answers to these statements, that's okay! Take the time to brainstorm and challenge yourself to think about your shop's positioning.

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Continued from above

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Example:

I started Antique Shop because I wanted forgotten primitive pieces to find new homes. I hope my shop will connect people with items rooted in nostalgia, history and anthropology. I believe that we are all caretakers of this earth, that antique items hold stories from our collective past, and that all of those stories, no matter how good or painful, are beautiful because they represent the human experience. I would like people to think my shop is a thoughtful curation of artifacts that represent this beauty, and that I am the go-to source for authenticated primitives.

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Don't let this example pigeon-hole you.

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Dig into all of the statements above and find what drives you.

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It might be sustainability, it might be your family, it might be the thrill of the hunt, it might be your love of fashion, it might be something else entirely.

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Next steps

Congrats! You now have a brand purpose, vision and values you can communicate to customers.

If you have more time/want to take this further:

• Review your existing social media posts, website and social media bio/shop info. Are any of these statements that you've come up with apparent to your audience consistently?
• Try communicating one of the sentences you came up with to your customers in one of the following ways:
  
  • A straight-up "Our Brand Purpose", "Our Brand Vision" or "Our Brand Values" post that can be used in Story Highlights or as a pinned post
  • Rewriting an "about us" section on your website
  • A newsletter
  • A story-centric post that digs into one of your values or your brand purpose in a creative way
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Rather than lifting exactly what you wrote and putting it in front of your customers, you may need to refine messaging.

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If you've chosen to post about your brand purpose, and you started your shop because you wanted to get rid of stuff, that's not super relevant (or interesting) to your customer. It was good for you, but how does it help them? What's another way to phrase that? What did getting rid of your stuff give you and how will that help your customer?

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Here's one take:
"I started [shop name] because I wanted to live more with less. Now I help customers do the same with my closet clear-out services."

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Another take:
"Did you know that the average person throws out X bags of clothing per year? I didn't know this when I stood staring at my overflowing closet back in 2009. I had everything to wear, but nothing to wear. A year later, I opened [Vintage Shop] in an effort to live more with less — and did I ever! I pared down what I had to key basics that I could easily mix and match. Now, I help you do the same with thoughtfully curated vintage capsule collections that are always timeless. Keep an eye out for our seasonal drops and start building a wardrobe that lasts!"

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Let us know how you get on in the comments!

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